


To Begin Again

by Angelox



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Café, M/M, Minor fight, One Shot, One-Shot, Reincarnation, jeanxmarco week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-02
Updated: 2015-07-02
Packaged: 2018-04-07 06:15:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4252473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelox/pseuds/Angelox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jean is strange, and remembers life behind walls, living in terror of titans, and he remembers Marco. But Jean is an odd regular customer at the Butler Cafe who never orders anything. And Marco is just a regular waiter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Begin Again

**Author's Note:**

> I drew these two babes from this story [here.](http://angeloxii.tumblr.com/post/122994597767/jeanxmarco-week-day-1-begin-again-i-drew-a)  
> Enjoy reading this for I enjoyed writing it.  
> This is for JaanxMarco week day 1 "begin again", sorry I'm kinda late with it.

He came into the cafe every day and never buying a single thing. It was odd and not only that but his bright colored shoes and dark hoodie, his baggy shorts with weirdly themed socks; it was a heavy contrast with the environment around him.

And all he did was sit at table 8 at the corner of the café. By now the waiter had already known his name. But his name was all he knew about him (that and his odd but rather unique sense of fashion). However, everyone who worked there eventually started to call him Number 8.

“Well?” said Armin, the cashier at “Butlers Café”. He gestured towards the strange character at table 8 while speaking to his fellow employee, Marco.

“What?” Marco asked, as he wiped the counter around the cash register and stools. The café was low on customers today except for their regulars.

“Go take his order” Armin replied, cocking an eyebrow at Marco.

“What’s the point if I already know what he’s going to say?” Marco said, as he flung the towel over his shoulder.

“And what’s he going to say?” Armin crossed his arms, looking at Marco expectedly.

Marco cleared his throat preparing for imitation, and in a deep and vague voice “Oh uh, no thanks, I just like sitting here with my mysterious aura. Carry on with your minimum-wage life and pretend I’m not even here.”

Armin bursted into laughter and smacked his friend on the shoulder.

“That is not what he says, you liar”

“It pretty much is, seriously Armin, you try talking to him it’s impossible” Marco sighed, and the door chime sang the arrival of a new customer.

“Welcome to Butlers Café, a seat for one, madam?” Marco slightly bowed before a beautiful business women, and like all other waiters at the Butler Café, they were dressed… well like butlers. They had to pretend to have good posture and treat the customer like they are their master. It was always a little too cliché and “cosplay aura” for Marco but he actually enjoyed working there.

“Can I get this one, Marco?” a familiar voice started from behind Marco “I kinda have no one at my tables yet and you have like… two” Eren said, with his green eyes as wide as ever.

But Marco was hesitant.

“Uh actually, can you switch table 8 with me?” Marco pleaded rather sheepishly.

“Table 8?” Eren questioned, and looking back at the corner of the café. He grunted before he could even look back at Marco. “Number 8? Are you kiddi-“

“Pretty-pretty please, Eren, dude, man, bro”

“Ok ok, stop begging it’s gross”

“Thank you!” Marco slightly fist-pumped as Eren reluctantly started to turn towards the said table.

“You owe me, Bodt”

“Thank yoooou~” Marco whispered once more towards Erens way.

Eren took a deep breathe once he approached the table, and prepared to play it cool.

_Customer service is everything._

“Hey man” he started “Welcome to Butlers Café, sorry it took a while. There was a change in-“

“Where’s the other guy?” The stranger said, cutting Eren off but keeping his head low.

“Sorry, what?” Eren leaned in closer. The stranger had his hoodie over his head as he rested on his hand.

But he didn’t say anything more.

Eren felt a sort of awkward tension coming from this guy, but none the less he continued anyways.

“So what can I get ya, huh?” Eren waited.

Slowly the stranger lied his arm down and started to lift his head. He was quiet, his hoodie slightly moving away from his face as he looked up at Eren, and it was the first time they actually ever made eye contact.

The guys face was gentle, almost sad, and he looked like he was about to speak.

“Tch” he clicked his tongue and suddenly his facial expression turned aggravated. It took Eren by surprise and he wondered what the hell his deal was.

This guy actually had the audacity to glare at him.

“You piss me off, Eren” he finally said.

Eren was baffled.

“Whoa, ok um, first of all I don’t even know you and second who do you thi-”

The stranger shot out of the chair and started to head towards the door, bumping into Erens shoulder while he did it. He didn’t even so much as flinch.

“Hey, asshole! I never did anything to you so show some respect!” Eren yelled at the punk leaving the store.

But he turned around and pulling his hoodie down, he glared once again towards Eren’s furrowed face.

His hair was sticking out all over the place, a sandy color top and dark brown buzz below it. His jawline was sharp, and his eyes narrow. But once Eren saw his eyes, he could tell someone wasn’t really in there.

Something was wrong with this guy.

“Whoa-hey!” before Eren could blink, this guy had suddenly grabbed at Eren’s collar, yelling at him to “shut up, Jaegar”.

“Let go of my shirt you’re going to tear it!” Eren shouted, and the guy slightly flinched as if Eren said something sensitive. Then suddenly the guys eyes trailed down to Eren's leg as if expecting him to do some sort of advanced combat move.

 But Eren didn’t catch it and he started to shove the violent stranger.

Though, before anything could be taken any farther, Armin was grabbing Eren and Marco was grabbing the stranger. The small number of customers watched as the drama played out and the boys struggled to stop the almost fight.

Suddenly everything was silent and Marco didn’t have to struggle anymore for the stranger calmed down. Marco held him back from his arms, but he let go once he saw he no longer needed to hold him.

“Tch” Eren clicked his tongue and barged off into the kitchen. Armin apologized to everyone and the manager came out yelling about the commotion in which Armin also apologized to him for but assured everything was ok now.

“Marco, get him out of here, he’s no longer allowed to be a customer here!” the manager said, with an irritated face as he went back towards the kitchen yelling for Eren.

Marco sighed as everyone was trying to settle back down again. The stranger doing nothing but standing in the same spot where Marco had held him with his back turned.

Marco wasn’t sure on what to do now.

“U-um, Jean, right?” Marco started, scratching at the back of his neck.

His name was all he knew.

“I’m really sorry” Jean whispered. He slowly turned around to face the freckled young adult and to Marcos surprise he had tears in his narrow brown eyes.

“H-h-heyyy uh, um, you alright? Did you get hurt or-“ Marco said, baffled and flustered, unsure on what to say.

“It just all came back at once and” Jean sniffed “I got so mad, why did you grab me? Why do you always grab me, idiot” suddenly tears were flowing down his cheeks.

Marco stood still looking at him, and then he looked around to see if anyone could see. But to his luck they weren’t watching him.

Marco moved in front of Jean to hide him and give him the privacy one would want in this kind of situation. But still, Marco was very confused.

“Listen um, sit down alright” Marco gestured as he guided a chair towards him. Jean sat and covered his face with his hands as if he finally realized he was crying.

Marco couldn’t help but think it was kind of cute.

“I’m so sorry Marco” Jean said once again.

“Uh, it’s oka-“

“I’m so sorry you were alone!” Jean started to sob in his knees “I couldn’t save you again!” he cried as he trembled and Marco thought he looked so fragile he could break any second or by the slightest touch.

Marco struggled as he knelt down and patted Jeans head. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to say or do because honestly this guy sounded a little crazy and probably had him mistaken for someone else, but this was all he could do.

They sat there for what seemed like hours, the pain in Marco's leg making him wince, until Jean calmed down little by little.

Jean lifted his head to look at Marco, and Marco simply smiled at him.

But what he didn’t know was that his smile broke Jeans heart for Jean was haunted by a past life, or maybe merely a dream. But it was a dream where Marco was his best friend; a never ending nightmare where his best friend dies alone, an unsung hero. The flames of not only his body, but other comrades, haunting his every waking breathe.  

“Sorry” Jean said as he got up. He didn’t look at Marco another time for he ran out the door, not even looking back. Marco was left a little dumbfounded and he wondered if he would be seeing number 8 again.

 

                                                __________________________________________________________________                                                       

 

“Damn, it was a long day. I’m stressed” Eren said, as he slouched over the counter.

Marco sighed in reply.

“Marco! Take out the trash will ya!” the manager yelled and Marco shouted back an “aye sir” as he started his way to the kitchen.

“Heeve ho!” He shouted as he flung the giant trash bags into the dumpster and then dusting off his hands together.

“Hey, Marco”

“Whoa! Ho! Sweet Jesus, you scared me!” Marco jolted as he saw Jean standing next to the back door.

Jean had waited for some time for Marco to come out, or at least someone who can get Marco for him.

“Sorry” Jean said quietly.

“Yeah, you say that a lot, y’know” Marco replied, actually surprised to see him again after today.

But Jean merely looked towards the ground with a painful face.

“What um” Marco started, rather sheepishly “What are you doing here?”

“I’m not allowed here anymore, huh” Jean said, with his arms crossed and looking at Marco with a sad face.

Marco kind of pitied him for some reason.

“Yeah, after that show? The manager can’t afford it” Marco replied as he stepped closer to Jean.

“I don’t know what happened, honestly” Jean started as he shifted a little. “I just can’t help but feel irritated around Eren” he finished.

“How do you know him?” Marco asked.

“I don’t”

Marco looked at him confused.

“At least, not officially, like now anyways” Jean continued.

“I don’t get it” Marco replied.

Jean sighed “Yeah, I don’t get it really either”

There was a few seconds of silence before Marco knew what else to say.

“So, are you like, secretly my stalker or something?” Marco finally asked.

Jean laughed a little and Marco was surprised to see that he had a nice smile (and a nice laugh).

“I was afraid you would ask me that” He smiled.

“Oh lawd, am I right?” Marco asked a little afraid.

Jean laughed louder and he started to blush “No no, I mean, not really” he said. “I mean, it’s not like I ever meant to actually ever see you in real life”

Marco wasn’t really sure what he meant and was taken a bit back.

“I didn’t think you existed” Jean continued, and he looked at Marco with the most sincere eyes and a gentle smile.

And right there, Marco couldn’t help but feel terribly comfortable with this guy. It was like years of knowing someone all came in that one smile.

“Um so like, do I remind you of someone or something, cause I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about” Marco finally said, as he fumbled with his tie.

“Well, I guess it’s something like that” Jean replied a little embarrassed, realizing he actually said all that and expecting Marco to understand.

But this was the first time in Jeans life that he got to say anything like that aloud.

They stood in silence for a while and Jean couldn’t help but stare at Marcos leg.

“How did you lose your leg?...” He finally asked, with agony in his voice.

Marcos breathes stopped for a little bit before realizing that Jean seriously just asked that.

“H-how do you kno-“

“The way you walk” Jean interrupted, “You struggled to kneel on it too earlier” he finished as he looked Marco in the eyes.

Marco was silent for a moment.

“I’m just uh, surprised, really” Marco stumbled for words “Y-you’re the first person to notice this. No one at work knows about it” he scratched at the back of his wrist.

“I doubt they would make you take out the trash if they knew” Jean said.

Marco didn’t know what to say but he felt like both Jean and he had things to hide.

“Well, hey” Marco started as he reached for the door “I’ll be leaving in like 10 minutes so wait for me out front and we can talk more alright? That is, if you’re up for it”

“Yeah, okay” Jean nodded as he placed his hands into his pocket.

“Alright, later” Marco smiled, before he disappeared behind the door.

Jean looked up towards the sky and never felt safer.

There were no stars, only the lights of the city. But he remembers what a sky full of stars looked like for him and Marco watched them all the time while living in the barracks. They never knew whether a titan would suddenly appear one night, making all the stars look ever much smaller.

He inhaled the chilly night air as far away sounds filled the air. They weren’t sounds of terror or screams, or the silence of death. It was just a normal city, with normal city sounds.

There were no titans.

“Yosh!” Marco shouted, as he came out in his casual clothes. He wore a jean jacket and commando boots, along with burgundy pants. It was very normal and Jean felt happy to see him wear something normal like that.

It wasn’t a uniform, soiled with his own blood.

“So my apartment is like 5 minutes away from here on foot” Marco started “you hungry?” he asked with a smile.

“Starving, yeah” Jean replied, not even bothering to ask if it was okay for him to walk 5 minutes straight. But he was probably used to it.

“Aright, let’s go” Marco led the way and Jean walked beside him. “I have a dog by the way, you a dog person?”

“I prefer cats”

“Oh well then. We’ll get along just fine” Marco chuckled and Jean smiled.

Jean listened as far away sounds of the city filled the air. He listened as Marco spoke to him with his cheery tone. And Jean knew. Jean knew Marco was here now, that he wasn’t just a fallen comrade.

Marco was alive.

They were alive together, and one day Jean will tell him all about his dreams.

But for now, he will simply begin again their fated friendship. 

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to let you guys make up what happens afterwards and how Marco lost his leg. So this is my first one-shot and I hope you guys enjoyed it. Let me know what you think and leave comments. Tanks tanks, much love, this amphibian.


End file.
